


Of Bombs and Beer

by Samantha_Stilger



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alcohol Withdrawal, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Lots of drinking, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Sad, Sad Ending, Shane Pam and OC are beer buddies, gets better, is bad, mine accident, then gets worse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 19:30:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20680721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samantha_Stilger/pseuds/Samantha_Stilger
Summary: There's more than one reason the mine isn't fully operational. First being mine injuries, and the second being monsters. The farmer's older brother has been living in town for years and used to work at the mines until a bad accident happened causing many of his friends and co-workers to be either badly injured or killed. He blames himself for placing a bomb in the wrong area and visits the pub daily to numb the pain. When his little sister comes to take over their Grandfather's farm he does what he can to help her, even if it means trying to lay off the beer. Everything goes great! That is, until . . .





	Of Bombs and Beer

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Stardew Valley nor the characters, except the OC and the Farmer.

**"Oh Yoba, no!!"**  
**"Barry? What on Earth ar-"**  
** "Run! Please, the bomb!!"**  
** "Bomb? Where did you put the bomb?!"**  
** "It's right the-"**

** _KABOOM!!!_ **

**"Jack!!!"  
**

**Screams of pain and agony echoed throughout the mines as men crumbled to the ground like the rocks and ore they had been mining. Blood was splattered around bodies and limbs as ash and gunpowder filled the air. All the men were injured in some way, shape, or form, but those that could walk or crawl made their way to their colleagues to try and help them. Or to see if they were alive.**

~~~~ Seven Years Later ~~~~

"Pa~am!"

" *hic* W-what?"

"Yer lookin' greeeeeen. Ya gonna be sick again?"

"Psh, pa-lease. I can hold mah liquor better than-than you."

"You two are *hic* totally wasted."

"Shaaaane! You're supposed to be on myeeee side."

"I ain't on anybody's side, Barry."

Gus looked at the three very drunk people at the side of his bar and sighed. "Emily, would you cut them off please? It's closing time and I have enough of a headache without them yelling at me tonight."

The blue haired girl gave her boss a sympathetic smile and pat his back. "Sure thing. You go get some sleep, I'll close up." After the pub owner walked to the back despite the protests of the three drunken messed Emily approached them and put her hands on her hips. "Time's up! This place is closed. You can come back tomorrow, though I don't advise it."

A clean shaved man with shin length, straight brown hair looked up at the woman and grinned. "Emily, ya look even more bootyful each time I see ya."

A blush painted the girls cheeks but she didn't give in. "You mean beautiful, right? Come on." She pushed them out of their chairs and to the door.

"No, I mean your booty looks even plumper than usual!"

Aaaaaand they were kicked out. The next night all three of them returned to the pub, but this time kept a limit on their drinks. After all, yesterday was Friday. You go all out on Fridays.

~~~~ One Year Later ~~~~

Barry stared at the new townswoman who was currently staring at the calendar in front of Pierre's. She had long, white hair that blew slightly in the Spring breeze, she was wearing a white button up shirt, blue jeans, brown work boots, gardening gloves, and a large, straw sun hat. Even though her hair was pure white she didn't look old at all, at least from the back. He heard from Lewis that someone was coming to work on his Grandfather's Farm, and the only person that could be was standing right in front of him, oblivious.

"Mello?"

The girl jumped slightly and turned to look at the brunette, her large, pink eyes taking in his appearance. " . . . Barry?" When he nodded the girl grinned and hugged him tightly. "Barry!!! Oh, Big Brother, you're okay! I haven't heard from you in forever!"

He hugged her smaller form close as she began to sob against his shoulder. That's right, he fell out of contact with his family after the accident. Man, he regretted that now. They stood there hugging and not caring what anyone else thought for a good while before Barry pulled back and wiped his sister's face with his handkerchief. "I'm okay, I'm fine." _Even if that's not true, it will be soon._

~~~~

Of course his sister caught on about her brother's drinking problem, _huge _drinking problem when he wrote her a list of the people in town. Most he knew were through the pub.

_Gus - Bartender, nice guy. Loves oranges. I'm one of his best customers._  
_Pam - Best to drink with her if you want fun. Not in the dirty way, Mello. Her favorite is Pale Ale. Fights and lives with her daughter, Penny.  
Penny- Teaches the kids and loves Tam Kha Soup.  
__Shane - Best to drink with him if you want someone quiet. Loves hot pepper plate and his Goddaughter Jas._  
Jas - Cute, but doesn't trust people anymore than she can throw them. Loves Fairy Roses.  
Willy - Guy can really hold his liquor. Loves Mead.  
Robin - Construction woman, has a boy names Sebastian from a previous marriage and a daughter with her husband.  
Demetrius - Don't like the guy, treats his step-son like crap and his daughter, Maru like she's pinky perfect.  
Sebastian and Maru - Don't know them very well, but the boy plays pool with his friends and talks about his crap step-dad.  
Caroline - Don't really know her. She once got so hammered she confided that her husband isn't Abigail's biological father. (Don't tell her I told you)  
Pierre - Shop guy. You can buy seeds from him.  
Abigail - Kinda freaky, totally kick butt.  
Jodi - All I know is she's got two sons and that her husband's out fighting.  
Sam - Loves his mom and little bro, skateboarding, and hanging out with his friends. Seems to like Penny.  
Vincent - Cute little dude, loves grapes.  
Marnie - Jas's aunt, lets her and Shane live with her. Owns a ranch, so you could probably buy animals from her. If you're not still afraid of chickens, that is~  
Linus - Homeless dude who likes his lifestyle and nature food.  
Clint - Depressed dude who's totally crushing on Emily.  
Emily - Woman knows how to prepare a drink. And how to make clothes. Kinda weird about energies and stuff. Loves burgers.  
Haley - Emily's sister, shockingly enough, stuck up.  
Evelyn and George - Be nice to them. Granny's a sweetheart and George will warm up to you if you give him leeks. He loves those things. Granny loved Tulips.  
Alex - Strong dude, cocky as all get out.  
Harvey - Doctor. Visit him if you feel sick. Coffee addict.  
Elliott - Beach dude. Don't really know him.  
Wizard - Also known as M. Rasmodius. Guy either doesn't like his name or doesn't want others to know it. Mysterious dude with magic. Be polite, don't anger him.

She convinced him to stay at home with her during the night, especially on Fridays, to drink coffee with her and to talk. She was also trying to help Shane and Pam with their problems, but her brother came first.

~~~~

Everything was going well throughout the year. The townspeople were very pleased with Mello and everything she did, but she declined the party Gus wanted to throw for her at the pub. If she wasn't going to let her brother drink then she wasn't going to allow herself to. His recovery outweighed any party. But when Winter rolled around things got hard for the man.

When his sister came in to town she kept his mind off his past and alcohol by getting him to help her at the farm. Whether it be fertilizing the dirt, watering or harvesting the crops, or tending to the animals she always found something to help keep him away from his drinking buddies and beer, But with no crops to grow in the Winter that was hard to do. Sure he still took care of the animals, but it didn't last long because he didn't have to chase them down to pet them since they stayed in the barn and coop.

And the fact that his little sister was going to the mines? No, he wasn't doing okay. That place held bad memories of pain and torment, and now it also held monsters. Barry and Mello got in to a fight about her going up there that ended with tears on both ends, but by the end of the night they had made up. He knew she was old enough to make her own decisions, and she knew he was a worried big brother.

Right now his day seemed to drag on and his thirst for something, _anything_ was strong. So hard to not just go to the pub and order a little something; beer, or rum, or whiskey, or jin, or tonic, or vodka, or-

A hug cut off the brunette's thoughts. He looked down to his albino sister and pet her hair. "What's wrong?"

"I know . . . I know it's hard. But please. Please, Big Brother? Don't go to the pub."

Her tears broke his heart and Barry knew that her happiness was tied with his well being at the moment. He gave the younger a smile and nodded. "Okay. Just, just stay here a little longer?"

A little longer turned in to the rest of the day, which neither of them minded as they cuddled on the couch.

~~~~ Third Year ~~~~

Barry was so happy. His cute little sister was married to the blond writer from the beach. He lived in his own house once again and was alcohol free for two years thanks to his sister's help. Shane was, too. And Pam still drank here and there but nowhere near as much as she did. All thanks to his baby sister.

The marriage celebration had tons of food and drink, but Barry wasn't even tempted because his sister made it clear to Gus that if beer was offered she'd leave her own celebration early.

~~~~ Fifth Year, Winter ~~~~

For the first time in twelve years Barry was back in the mines. Not with a team, but with his little sister. The woman had a child with Elliott, a little boy named Orson meaning Bear Cub, and his uncle Barry called him Little Bear. Off topic, he was in the mines with his little sister to help her get enough stuff to sell so she could have enough to buy her son and husband, whose birthdays were close together, nice presents and to have plenty left over.

Of course he agreed to help, and she knew his bad past with this place so they took it slow. Even so she asked him to place a mega bomb by a cluster of huge rocks because she trusted him. He did so and they both stood clear. It went well.

They continued to do this for many days, but in the middle of the cold season disaster struck. He though she told him to place a bomb somewhere, but Mello had only been thinking out loud. After he lit it he ran like he was supposed to, but only when he stopped did he notice his sister hadn't moved. **"Mello!!"** He ran to her as she looked up at him in shock before **Kaboom!**

Everything went black.

~~~~

When Barry woke up in the hospital he begged to see, or at lease be told how his sister was doing. He had some serious burns and a few broken rubs, but he was all together fine. He was released from care and immediately went to his his sis's room where he saw Elliott and Orson sitting beside her on the bed, the little boy asleep in his father's arms with dried tear tracks on his chubby face.

His sister . . . His baby sister . . . In that moment Barry hated himself worse than he did in the last accident. As Elliott saw him and stood to try to comfort him the brunette ran. And when he couldn't run anymore he walked. He walked all the way back to Stardew Valley and straight to the pub. Gus was surprised to see him and asked how Mello was, but all he got was a blank, teary eyed stare and a drink order. Gus, bless his heart, tried to get the man to reconsider but it was no use. And so once again, after five years of being sober, Barry drank. He then purchased a twelve pack of unopened cans and walked back to his house where he drank more.

When Mello was able to come back to the valley she visited him, and burst in to tears. There were beer cans all over the floor, and so was her big brother. Passed out drunk. And she didn't know if she'd be able to help him go sober this time.

**Author's Note:**

> If you like please leave a Kudo and a Comment! Thank you so much~!


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